Basketball – Other | Finding the right select team for your child

Your kid found their favorite sport and wants to enhance their play beyond their school’s program and grade level and wants to play all year long. What next? Go online to try to find some teams – I started with AAU when looking for a local basketball club for my 5th grade daughter. Note that local clubs in your area most likely do not have the best resources for websites and communications for upcoming tryouts. This is where you start communicating via phone and email. I found talking to parents with older kids who have been in a program longer are your best resource. Many clubs offer free tryouts or a nominal fee ($10). Getting the experience of tryouts is important even if it is a club team that you may not want your child to play. During tryouts your child meets peers and coaches and you meet other parents and get answers to lots of questions!
In summary define you and your child’s preferences:
– Do I want a great coach for my kid versus very competitive league? Understand some programs have excellent coaches but may not be as strong with the other clubs they play because of their association with their programs (AAU versus local clubs).
– Do I want my kid to travel (many select teams have options for travel/tournaments); Understand costs associated with playing on select teams $$
– Do I want to get my kid to practice across town twice a week and games on weekends? Sometimes the club you select will not be in your neighborhood or even in your city. This is important for parents and kids with school work demands.